Abstract: A controlled release product and a method for producing the controlled release product. The product includes a substrate material for release to a surrounding environment and a composition coating the substrate material in a coating layer for providing a controlled release of the substrate material. The composition includes a matrix material; a particulate fibrous filler material dispersed throughout the matrix material and a water soluble surface treatment material applied to the external surfaces of the particles of filler material such that the surface treatment material provides degradable interfaces between the matrix material and the external surfaces of the particles of filler material, and wherein the degradable interfaces are degradable in the presence of water such that interfacial passageways between the matrix material and the external surfaces of the particles of filler material are formed by the dissolution of the surface treatment material.

Abstract: The reverse vending machine (RVM) receives, handles, sorts, and stores returnable items or objects. The RVM includes an item supporting, rotating, sorting and conveyor unit, an upright storage chamber for such items, a safety apparatus to avoid operational hazards, a camera aided detection device for detecting at least one of a bar code on and other characteristics, e.g. contour, of an item, a simplified token system, and a drive system with a releasable power coupling for operating the sorting device and a further storage device.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing oil sand to produce a liquid stream comprising water and bitumen and a solid stream comprising solid particles, and a method and control system for controlling the apparatus. The apparatus includes a drum having first and second ends, a conditioning zone adjacent the first end, a compressing zone adjacent the second end and a processing zone therebetween. A rotatable spiral trough, having lifting members therein, extends through each zone for imparting a spiral rolling motion to the oil sand. An oil sand inlet communicates with the conditioning zone, while a water inlet communicates with the processing zone. A liquid stream outlet is located at the first end of the drum, while a solid stream outlet is located adjacent the second end. Preferably, the spiral trough has a width through the compressing zone less than through the processing zone and a height through at least a portion of the compressing zone greater than through the processing and conditioning zones.

Abstract: A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads and a method for managing the group of energy consuming loads. The method includes generating sets of load state data from the loads, making enablement state decisions for one or more loads independently of the other loads using the sets of load state data, and implementing the enablement state decisions. An apparatus for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads, including a transmitter for transmitting a set of load state data generated from the load, a receiver for receiving sets of load state data from other loads, a processor for processing the sets of load state data to make an enablement state decision for the load, and a controller for implementing the enablement state decision.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for handling pipe sections, preferably for use with a drilling head. The apparatus includes a storage bin defining a substantially fixed bin dispensing position, a transfer device for individually transferring a pipe section between the bin dispensing position and a pipe transfer position, and a handling device for individually moving the pipe section between the pipe transfer position and a drilling head interface position. The method includes presenting a pipe section to the bin dispensing position, moving the transfer device to the bin dispensing position to engage the pipe section at the bin dispensing position, transferring the pipe section with the transfer device from the bin dispensing position to the pipe transfer position, engaging the pipe section with the handling device at the pipe transfer position, and moving the pipe section with the handling device from the pipe transfer position to the drilling head interface position.

Abstract: In order to prevent the contamination of particulates such as food material particulates, facilitate maintenance, and to enhance the process sealing accuracy, a flow path switchover device is presented. The device of the present invention has a tube assembly including first and second main tube members and a branch member. The first and second main tube members are interconnected via a first ring member. The first main tube member and the branch member are interconnected via a second ring member arranged at a preset angle with the first ring member. A metal changeover damper supported on a rotating shaft swings between the first and second ring members and accordingly blocks and seals either the connection between the first main tube member and the second main tube member or the connection between the first main tube member and the branch tube member, while allowing the other connection.

Abstract: In a process and system for recovering sulfur from a process gas stream initially comprising a hydrogen sulfide containing gas and an oxygen containing gas, a control process and system respectively are provided. The sulfur recovery process includes a thermal step having a beginning followed by a catalytic step having an end. The control process includes first analyzing a composition of the process gas stream at a first location between the beginning of the thermal step and the end of the catalytic step, first controlling the oxygen containing gas having regard to that first composition, second analyzing the composition of the process gas stream at a second location downstream of the end of the catalytic step, and second controlling the oxygen containing gas having regard to that second composition. The sulfur recovery system and control system therefor are provided for performing the steps of the sulfur recovery process and control process respectively.

Abstract: A system for sale of consumer goods, the system including means for issuing to a customer from a printer a non-validated token representing an article of merchandise following election by the customer from a selection panel. The article is to be paid for by the customer at a check-out unit when checking the token at said unit. Said check-out unit has means for providing a validated token from a token printer or dispenser as a replacement token or by validating a reusable token. The validated token carries a transaction code elected from the group of: a serially generated transaction code or a randomly generated transaction code. Said checkout unit has means for communicating with an article dispenser means and providing the article dispenser means with said transaction code following payment of the article.

Abstract: A gamma ray logging system and a method of calibrating a detected gamma radiation spectrum. The gamma ray logging system includes a gamma ray detector for detecting gamma radiation, an analyzer for generating a detected gamma radiation spectrum from the detected gamma radiation, and a processor which is configured to perform a calibration of the detected gamma radiation spectrum. The method of calibrating the detected gamma radiation spectrum includes selecting at least two data points from the detected gamma radiation spectrum, determining a mathematical relationship from the selected data points, and using the mathematical relationship to generate a calibrated gamma radiation spectrum from the detected gamma radiation spectrum.

Abstract: The floor tile is a laminate of two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relationship to define an offset marginal portion for each of the layers. Each of the offset marginal portions have oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces. A foam layer and/or a fiberglass sheet can also be included in the laminate structure of the floor tile. The floor tile can conform to surface contours of a floor base. The bottom layer of the floor tile, whether it is plastic sheet or foam, is conformable to surface irregularities of the floor base. A one piece releasable packaging device covers the oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces of the offset marginal portions.

Abstract: The particulate mixer is part of a blender that includes a cylindrical drum with a particulate mixing chamber. A rotating shaft is arranged in a horizontal direction in the particulate mixing chamber. Four arms project in a radial direction from the rotating shaft and include four paddles with respective stirring blades spaced from each other in an axial direction on the rotating shaft. The drum has a cylindrical center portion and side portions that communicate with the cylindrical center portion. Each of the side portions has a lower face and a vertical face. The drum is in the form of a truncated cone with the rotating shaft as its axis. The stirring blades have a driving end face and a driven end face with slopes corresponding to the slopes of the lower face of the side portions.

Abstract: An improvement in a PVT apparatus, which improvement includes a fluid path model having a fluid path and a sampling section, wherein the depth of the fluid path within the sampling section is substantially uniform and is less than about 100 ?m. The apparatus may be configured to provide a micron-scale slim tube which may be used in a manner similar to a conventional slim tube apparatus. A method for characterizing an interfacial property of a dispersion such as, for example, miscibility of a first fluid and a second fluid as a function of pressure. The method includes collecting sets of transmittance images representing transmittance of electromagnetic radiation through the dispersion, generating values of a general interfacial property factor from the transmittance images, and characterizing the interfacial property using the values of the general interfacial property factor.

Abstract: A training apparatus consisiting of a rope (2) which can be passed via a suspended direction reversal means (1), wherein a first part (2?) of the rope is arranged to hang down from one side of the direction reversal means, wherein a handle loop (3) is provided at one end (2?) of the first part (2?) of the rope, and wherein a second part (2??) of the rope is arranged to hang down from another side of the direction reversal means and is designed to form releasable engagement with a locking device (4, 4?) of the key way type, so-called “Cleatlock”. The locking device (4) is secured to the first part of the rope, and the direction reversal means (1) is selected from the group consisting of: a beam, a bar, a guide tube, a guide channel, a pulley and a suspension bracket.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and data set for simulating seismic prestack depth migrated images on the basis of a model of a selected GF-node, without the use of real or synthetic recorded data, provides a very efficient and flexible way to calculate a simulated depth migrated image as a function of parameters such as survey, overburden model, pulse, elastic wavefield, and local reflectivity structure. Important information needed for the method is the scattering wavenumber, calculated for example, by ray methods and other equivalent methods. Complex model geometry can be done in 2-D and 3-D.